Climber dies after part of cliff face collapses in North Cornwall

A holidaymaker has died near Bude after part of a cliff face gave way on a remote Cornish beach as he was climbing.

The 66-year-old from East Hampshire was on holiday with his wife when the tragedy happened at Sandymouth Beach, near Bude.

Police say he was 10 metres off the ground, using climbing equipment, when part of the cliff face fell on top of him.

The alarm was raised by lifeguards at the beach.

The man's body remained trapped under a 1.5 tonne rock until it was recovered by coastguards.

Despite the use of climbing equipment, Falmouth Coastguard have issued the following warning about the dangers of the cliffs as a result:

Richard Gibbons from Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service was involved in recovering the body.

He told ITV: "Our sympathies go out to the family. Some family members have been present today and it must be an extremely difficult time for them having come down on holiday to enjoy Cornwall and end up in the tragic circumstances that has occurred.

It is a technically difficult job for us to do. The casualty was around 30 feet above beach level at the back of a sea stack where the rock fall took place which unfortunately pinned them and caused them to lose their life."

Investigations began on Tuesday [16 July] to look at the stability of the cliff face and to asses whether further signage needs to be put up to warn people about the dangers of these cliffs.